Make Instagram Instagram Again
So, what’s all this buzz about ‘Make Instagram Instagram Again’? The app that is home to over 2 billion monthly active users is receiving backlash from big names like Kim Kardashian all because of a simple meme that took social media by storm this past week.
21-year-old creator and photographer Tati Bruening posted this seemingly harmless meme to her feed along with a link to a petition on Change.org, an international online petition website. Bruening stated that she had no idea how many other users this post would resonate with and was blown away that Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner – 3rd most followed user on Instagram – reposted it to their story, begging users to help bring upon a change.
Currently, the petition has over 283,000 signatures, making it one of the top signed petitions on the site.
This plea is long overdue. Instagram users all over the world have been frustrated with how similar the app is becoming to its rival, TikTok. Bruening claimed her feed is being overtaken by Instagram Reels and all she wants to do is see what her friends are up to this summer.
Instagram launched Reels in August 2020, the peak of the pandemic, which just so happened to be peak boredom. During this time, Instagram’s rival, TikTok, was rapidly taking over the social space. While we were all either working from home or attending Zoom University, it seemed like everyone’s free time was devoted to mindlessly scrolling in hopes of finding something to do other than binge the latest Netflix series. So, how did Instagram respond to the rise in popularity of TikTok? Introducing Instagram Reels. As you likely know, Reels allows users to record, edit, and share videos of up to 15 seconds, backed up with audio and music. Sounds eerily like TikTok…
Since the launch of Reels, Instagram has received backlash on how similar the feature is to the general idea of TikTok. Recently, it seems like all of the social media apps are trying to get the upper hand on the others. In November 2020, Snapchat even launched ‘Spotlight’, a very similar take on Instagram Reels. Let’s all take a moment and play a game of spot the difference –– anyone notice anything?
Take a look at how similar Instagram Reels, Snapchat Spotlight, and TikTok For You Page’ are. Instagram users are upset with how all of their favorite social media apps are merging together and miss the way things used to be pre-pandemic. This frustration is rooted in the fact that users like Bruening are seeing more recommended posts or Reels than actual posts from people they follow. Users miss when their home feed was completely in chronological order and was not overloaded with posts that now feel like ads.
In May 2022, Instagram was making headway with testing a new, immersive viewing experience on the main home feed with select users. As you can probably guess by now, our beloved home screen started to look very similar to a TikTok For You Page. However, following a week of heavy criticism surrounding the ‘Make Instagram Instagram Again’ movement, Instagram has announced that it will be phasing out the test version of the app that is utilizing full-screen photos and videos. In addition, they will also reduce the number of recommended posts in the app as it works to improve its algorithm, pleasing users like Bruening.
Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, has spoken out about this claim to revert Instagram back to its old ways. In a recent interview, he stated that “I think we need to take a big step back, regroup, and figure out how we want to move forward.”
Where does the future of Instagram lay? We’ll just have to wait and see. We’re always staying up to date with the latest algorithm updates and best practices to ensure your social media is a worthwhile investment – on Instagram and beyond. Contact our team to learn more about our solutions. Stay social, friends!
